1. Field of the Invention
The device of this invention is a stabilizing device and more particularly relates to a device for holding objects in an upright position and to prevent their sliding during transport.
2. History of the Prior Art
Barrier devices, such as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,271 to Janowski et al, are known in the prior art. Barrier devices consist of elongated walls positioned adjacent to objects which they are to stabilize, which objects rest on a flange extending from the bottom of the wall so as to fix the wall in position by the objects"" weight to prevent the object from moving during transport, such as in a motor vehicle and the like. It is difficult, though, to position multiple elongated wall barriers around small objects as the size of the barriers causes the barriers to contact one another before they can make effective contact with a small object.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved support device which in a preferred embodiment is utilized in a multiple array of three such devices which array is especially useful for retaining generally cylindrical objects, such as potted plants, in an upright position during transport, such as in motor vehicles, to prevent their tipping over or sliding around while the vehicle is being driven. It should be understood that while a potted plant is utilized as an example of a retained object, other objects can be held upright by the device of this invention utilized singly or in groups of two or three. The device of this invention can be provided in an interengaged stack of three, which devices can be disengaged from one another as described below and rearranged in a support array such that the base of each device is positioned under the bottom of the potted plant to be held upright with portions of each device extending over the upper lip of the potted plant so as to retain the potted plant securely in an upright position to prevent its tipping over or sliding during transport.
Each device of the support array has a frusto-conical upright structure extending upwards centrally from a circular flat base. The devices are arranged such that the bases of each device are adjacent to one another in an array wherein a potted plant can be positioned over a portion of each of the bases. Each frusto-conical upright structure has a retention arm which is adjustably positioned vertically within the top of its respective device which retention arm can be locked in position at a desired height adjacent to, and passing over the upper lip of the potted plant so as to hold the pot stationary in relation to the support array. Further, the support array provides an extremely wide base, being the area covered by the combination of all the bases of the devices utilized to prevent tipping of the potted plant resting on such bases. Also, the providing of foam padding under each base causes the bases to frictionally adhere to the vehicle""s floor to prevent lateral sliding of the potted plant.